We get it. Most rural recreation areas don’t have bathrooms. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to poop in the woods … or near the river. Each person who does the right thing helps keep trails clean and the river open to fishing.

Who wants to lose a fishing opportunity? The Department of Fish and Wildlife could shut down fishing areas in Skagit County if bacteria levels get too high.

In just one day, a person can produce 1.9 billion fecal coliform bacteria. It takes only 400 bacteria to contaminate a cup of water. That means in 24 hours, one person can contaminate 4,750,000 cups of water. That’s a LOT of water.

Don’t drop your deuce.

If you care about the water and land that you enjoy for recreation, you need to properly dispose of your waste. Don’t just drop a deuce anywhere. If you’re planning your gear and route, you’ve got to plan for this, too. How much difference can one person make? It’s not just a drop in the ocean. When you do the right thing, you help keep the woods clean and fishing areas open.

About Poop Smart

The Poop Smart campaign is focused on keeping water clean for people, pets, agriculture, and fish and wildlife. Bacteria in poop (fecal coliform bacteria) can cause diseases such as gastroenteritis, ear infections, dysentery, or hepatitis A if ingested. People and pets can be exposed by swimming, wading, or eating shellfish from waters with high bacteria levels. Common backyard sources include leaking septic systems, livestock manure and pet waste.

The Poop Smart campaign supports the Pollution Identification and Correction (PIC) program, a partnership between Skagit County, the Washington Departments of Ecology and Agriculture, the Skagit Conservation District, and others.

Contact information

For questions or more details, please contact Karen DuBose at [email protected] or 360-416-1460.

Sponsored by

Skagit County Public Works

Environmental Protection Agency

This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement PC01J18001-0 to the Washington Department of Health. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.